Traction-engine



(No Model'.)

W. N. RUMELY. TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 284,676. v Patented Sept. 11, 1883;

N, PETERS. PholwLilhagnpheL wmin um. By C.

UNITED STATES- PATENT .QFFic \VILLIA'M'N. RUMELY, or LA ron'rn, INDIANA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,676, dated September 11, 1883.

Application filed December 22. 1882.

(No model.)

To all w/wm it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAn N. RUMELY, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Porte, in the county of La Porto and State of Indiana, have iiwented a new and useful Improvement in Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the running-gear of a traction-engine; and the object of my invention is to provide a simple, substantial, and efiicient device for cushioning the rear or firebox end of the boiler upon the rear axle.

Figure 1 is a rear end view of a tractionengine provided with my improvements. Fi 2 is a side view of the same engine; and Fig. 3 is a top view of a portion of the rear axle and of a horizontal section, along the linem, of the fire-box sheet and of the spring-case.

In the figures, A indicates the rear axle, on which the traction-wheels rotate. S indicates the helical steel springs, which support the boiler; C, the spring-case and axle-guides; c, conical lugs which keep the springs in central position, and 8 indicates a wrought-iron strap. V is the gear-wheel, which is attached to the traction-wheel, and which is driven by the pinion P on the differential-gear shaft. The latter runs in bearings, which are supported by the front head of the fire-box.

In traction and similar cnginesit is desirable to relieve the boiler and all the machinery attached thereto from shocks caused byj ostling when engines are driven over rough roads and railway-crossings, and the like. In order to cushion the boiler upon the rear axle, or the axle of the traction-wheels, I have made use of an axle which is bent under the boiler and is "continuous, and therefore independent of the boiler. I then cushion the rear end of the boiler upon this axle by means of the helical steel springs S. To each side of the boiler there is bolted a cast-iron spring-case, O, in which the spring S is incascd, and which has a solid top, if, that rests upon the top of the spring. The axle Alias a lug, c, 011 its upper side, for keeping the bottom of the spring in position, and the solid top if of the springcase also has a lug, c, for keeping the upper end of the spring in place. The sides of the spi ing-ease are continued down below thelower end of the spring along the sides of the axle, and form the guides for the latter, so that when the boiler vibrates vertically upon the springs the portion of the axle adjacent to the boiler and upon which the springs rest will be free to move within the spring-case. By means of these guides and the wrought-iron strap 8, which is bolted to the bottom of the boiler, the axle is prevented from being deflected out of its proper position.

In Fig. 1 the spring-case is shown in section, in order to show the arrangement of the spring and axle within the case. the line m n of Figs. 2 and For the same reason Fig. 3 is given, showing a portion of the rear axle and the top view of a horizontal The section is along section, along the line as y of Figs. land 2, of

wheel. Similarly, were the traction-wheels to be suddenly stopped, when running forward,

on account of striking some obstacle, and when a uniform force was being applied through the driving mechanism by the steam, the pinion P would tend to run up on the gear-wheel IV and to raise the boiler up, which would cause a proportional variation in the tension on the springs. In running backward the pinion P would tend to run down around the gear-wheel NV, and hence to increase the-load upon the springs. The springs, then, and the power transmitted through the driving mechanism, may act to produce the same or the opposite effect, and since they so act relatively to each .other. the springs will serve not only to prevent shocks from being transmitted to the boiler and its attached mechanism, but they will serve the additional very useful function of cushioning the power, and hence of relieving the mechanism of sudden severe strains.

I am aware that continuous axles bent under the boiler, and similar to the one here shown and described, have been used before, and also that helical springs have been used for supporting a boiler upon an axle; but I am not aware that such a construction as here shown,

IOO

described, and claimed has evenbefore been known or used.

I claim is 1. The spring-case and axle guide shown and described, being a casting the base of which is substantially a plate capable of being bolted to the side of the boiler of a tractionengine, and having in common with itself two parallel outwardly-projecting vertical walls and a third outwardly-projecting wall connecting the two former at or near their upper ends, so as to form a case open at the side and below for resting upon, holding, and guiding the helical spring which cushions the boiler upon the axle, and for holding and guiding said axle while permitting vibrations of the spring, the top of the case being provided with a lug for retaining the top of the spring in position, and the parallel side walls of the case extending below the top of the axle suificiently to form suitable guides for the latter.

2. A spring-case and axle-guide consisting, essentially, of a base-plate capable of being bolted to the boiler, and having parallel outwardly-proj ecting verticalwalls connected at i or near their upper ends by a similar crosswall, the whole forming a case open at the side and below, in combination with a helical spring and a continuous axle bent under the boiler, said axle having a construction adapting it to freedom of play between the parallel side walls of the case as guides to correspond with the compression of the helical spring which rests upon the axle within the case, and is compressed by the top wall of the case, and said spring 5 being retained in position by a lug on the under side of said cross-wall and a lug or other similar suitable retaining device on the upper side of the axle.

3. A spring-case and axle-guide consisting, 4o

essentially, of a base-plate capable of being bolted to the side of the boiler, and having parallel outwardly-projecting vertical walls connected at or near their upper ends by a similar cross-wall, the whole forming a case open 5 at the side and below, in combination with a helical spring and a continuous axle bent under the boiler, said axle having a construction adapting it to freedomof play between the parallel side walls of the case as guides to cor- 5o respond with the compression of the helical spring which rests upon the axle within the case, and is compressed by the top wall of the case, and said spring being retained in position by a lug on the under side of said cross- 55 

